TOKYO, Feb 1 (NNN-NHK) – Japan’s capital, Tokyo, logged nearly 40,000 new COVID-19 cases in Jan, marking a record that doubled the number of infections in the previous month, figures released by the metropolitan government showed.
The data revealed significant increase in infections, before Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, declared the country’s second state of emergency in the capital and surrounding prefectures on Jan 7, asking people to avoid unnecessary outings and calling on restaurants and bars to shorten opening hours.
The metropolitan government reported 633 new cases in the capital yesterday, bringing the total number in Jan to 39,664, and the cumulative figure to 99,841. The figure of Jan compares to 19,245 in Dec.
Although infections gradually show signs of abating, under the state of emergency, the capital city’s medical system remains overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, Suga is criticised for the government’s lack of effective measures to maintain a sound medical system, as cases of patients not being admitted to hospitals and later dying at home have occurred.
The Japanese government is scrambling to curb the pandemic resurgence, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which are slated to kick off in less than six months.
Suga is set to extend the current state of emergency in place, until Feb 7, over 11 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, by as much as one month, according to local media reports.– NNN-NHK
